Presumed Guilty
by Stelena-Beautiful
Summary: AU. Todd's "colorful" past complicates his present life and his future. With Alexis as his lawyer, can he convince the town of Port Charles that they may be wrong about him this time? Features Todd, Marty, Alexis and Julian, plus a few others. A really long one shot containing very mature themes.


**Presumed Guilty**

**AU.** Julian and Alexis. Hints of Todd and Marty, plus some Sonny/Kate (Connie). Written as a challenge of sorts. Truthfully it's the longest one shot I've ever written lol Thanks for checking it out. It's rated Mature for adult themes.

_**Port Charles, New York**_

"You have exactly two minutes to convince me that you are innocent," Alexis Davis said by way of introduction as she strode into the interrogation room to find Todd Manning cuffed to the table. She didn't like or trust this man from all she'd read about him in the newspaper. Why she had accepted his desperate call in the first place, she didn't know.

"Hey, are you saying that you never represent actually guilty people?" Todd quipped, jiggling the cuffs which felt much too snug on his wrists. He was convinced that the beefy dude who had been guarding him up to this point latched them super tightly on purpose. He knew they all believed he was guilty as hell. The beefy cop had even said _"We don't take too kindly to your kind around here"._

When was his past ever going to stop following him around like a perpetual dark cloud? Maybe he didn't deserve to be forgiven for the vile things he had done – hell he _knew_ that he didn't – but he also hated being the scapegoat for everything that went wrong in any town he took up residence in. This latest bullshit charge was just icing on a shit-filled cake.

"Are you saying you're guilty, Mr. Manning?" Alexis asked. "Because if you are, you better speak up now."

"I am innocent – at least this time. You have to believe me."

"Tell me why I should. It's well-documented that you have a past that is shall we say, colorful."

"Don't beat around the bush now, Ms. Davis. You don't seem the type to mince words."

"You're right. You're an admitted rapist, Mr. Manning. You served time for that crime even so tell me why should I or the jury itself believe you are innocent this time as you claim?"

"Because! Because I didn't do it!" Todd hissed. "I don't know where that crazy bitch got the idea that –" 

"Stop now. I wouldn't sling around derogatory names if I were you. It doesn't help your case at all."

"Okay, I don't know where that … _person_ … got the idea that I raped her," Todd said. "She works for me. I pay her well and for her to betray me like this-"

"Yes you pay her well, Mr. Manning. Maybe so well that you thought she owed you a little side action, a little something-something? Maybe you felt that she was indebted to you?" 

"No, I did not think that! Why are you saying all of that shit?"

"Get used to it. Everyone assumes you're guilty already. Those are the kinds of questions the D.A. Scott Baldwin will be asking you on the stand. Assuming that you take the stand in your own defense. I personally wouldn't recommend it. You seem like the kind of person who doesn't handle intense pressure well which is how you end up in these situations, I am betting."

"And frankly you seem like kind of a –" Todd saw her glare at him. "A really nice person," he concluded lamely. He shrugged. "Look I am prepared to pay you handsomely to take my case."

"Oh yes you will. You'll pay me through the nose but that's not the reason why I am taking your case."

"Good. You're taking my case then. But what is the reason? You believe I'm innocent?"

"Not at this moment, no. I just like a challenge. It gets my blood humming."

XoXoXo

"How's the trial with that Manning guy going?" Julian asked as he watched Alexis sitting in bed beside him. A ton of papers were scattered all over the mattress and she was wearing her bifocals – the super sexy green ones – that turned him on. He wanted to have sex with her again and well, again and again, but she'd been so wrapped up in this case lately that he'd not gotten so much as a touch let alone a pump or a thrust in.

"Splendidly," Alexis said facetiously. She took her glasses off and looked at him. She saw the hang-dog expression on his face. "You want sex don't you?"

"I always want sex when it comes to you," Julian said. "That is a surprise - how?"

Alexis nodded. "Well maybe I do need a really short break," she said. "I've been working very hard and you look very delicious in that little wife-beater you've got on."

"Hmm thanks," Julian said as he threw his arm across the bed and sent a pile of papers flying to the ground. Alexis looked at them desperately and then sighed in acceptance. She moved towards him and they began to kiss passionately.

"You've got five minutes and counting," Alexis said.

"Only five?" Julian asked, nipping her right nipple through the material of her silky black pajama top. Her hands fisted in his hair and she arched back.

"Okay, ten. Just ten. Exactly six hundred seconds… Ooooh," she crowed as he slipped his hands under the covers and massaged her pussy through her clothes. "Make that seven hundred and fifty seconds…"

XoXoXo

"We're getting creamed here," Todd snapped at Alexis as he sat at the defendant's table. "All these fucking people are judging me and saying 'dear, sweet' Kate Howard would never, ever lie about this. Well she did. Let me take the stand. Let me take it right now!" Todd demanded.

Alexis shook her head at him. "Your testimony won't be necessary," she said.

"How do you figure that? These people have me tried and convicted already. I need to defend myself."

"Trust me. What you need is a character witness. Your ex-wife Blair was a start as was your daughter Starr but that's not going to cut it. You need someone who will really convince the jury that you're a changed man. Now shut up and let me do my job."

Todd fumed but watched Alexis command the room. "I would like to call Margaret Saybrooke to the stand please."

"What the fuck?" Todd shouted. Everyone's eyes shot to him. He turned in his seat, craning his neck to see none other than Marty being led into the room by a police officer. Their eyes locked and held and in spite of himself, he felt a rush of heat rush from his scalp to his face, down his neck and lower. She was still so beautiful. So impossibly beautiful. Her flaxen hair was platted in a thick French braid and she was wearing a pantsuit that while not tight by any means, displayed her beautiful body to perfection.

Marty finally tore her eyes from his and was led to the bench where she was going to testify. Todd glared at Alexis. "What the fuck are you trying to pull?" he demanded. "Marty hates me. I hurt her and she'll never forgive me for that. She would send me to the chair if she could."

"Shut up, Todd," Alexis hissed. "She's here in your defense."

"Oh likely story," Todd muttered but he quieted down and watched Alexis intently as she straightened her pencil skirt and jacket and walked forward.

Marty was sworn in and Alexis moved over to her, touching the banister. "Thank you for coming here today, Ms. Saybrooke."

Marty nodded. Todd's eyes remained fastened on Marty, watching her every movement. He hadn't seen her in so many years, almost two whole decades. They shared a beautiful granddaughter – Hope was the light of his life – and they'd never even discussed her.

"Ms. Saybrooke, it's been well-documented that Todd Manning raped you. In fact, he led a violent, vicious gang rape on your person, did he not?"

Marty nodded solemnly. "He did. It was honestly a life-changing night in my life."

"I bet," Alexis said. "Mr. Manning is being accused of raping another woman. His reporter, Kate Howard. She has testified that he attacked her one night while they were working late in the office. That he grabbed her viciously by the hair, ripped her clothes from her body and penetrated her on his desk so deeply that she bled for days." Todd cringed as he watched tears gather in Marty's azure eyes. She was clenching the banister tightly – so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. "Now Kate Howard has alleged that this happened three months ago yet she waited to tell the truth until last month because she was scared, scared of the repercussions and of the shame she felt, in her words. Would you say you could relate to that feeling after what happened to you?"

The jury watched Marty nearly as intently as Todd did. "Yes, of course. That feeling of horror never truly goes away. You feel ashamed and disgusted and the worst thing is that suddenly you are on trial as well as the one you're accusing of violating you in the worst way imaginable. I can see why Ms. Howard might be afraid but I also don't believe –" Marty hesitated.

"What don't you believe, Ms. Saybrooke?"

"That Todd would rape anyone ever again." There was a murmur of chatter going through the courtroom. The judge banged her gavel and demanded silence.

Marty continued on. "I saw him change so much, evolve really. Show genuine remorse for what he did to me. From everything I personally witnessed, I cay that he became a devoted father and family man. I don't believe that he would backslide in this way."

"You are a psychiatrist yourself. You must know that the recidivism rates for sexual crimes committed by rapists are astronomical. It's truly rare for a rapist to just … stop."

"Yes I know that but Todd Manning has been the exception to nearly every rule I've ever encountered."

"Ms. Saybrooke, can you say under the threat of perjury that you came here today of your own volition to testify on your former rapist's behalf?"

Marty looked at Todd and her gaze didn't waver as she said, "Yes, yes I did. For all Todd's many faults and I won't sit here and lie to you – he has many – he is not a monster. Not the one I thought him to be long ago anyway. I don't believe he would rape anyone now. In fact, in my heart I _know_ it. I also took the liberty of reading over his affidavit and nothing he said at all struck me as a lie."

"But why would you testify on your former rapist's behalf?"

"I saw him change with my own eyes over the years. I want the guilty to get what they deserve and I don't believe of this crime, Todd is guilty. I would stake my life on that."

Scott Baldwin looked ready to pounce on Marty but Kate was suddenly jumping from her seat at the prosecutor's table and yelling at Marty. "You know what you are, 'Ms. Saybrooke'?" She asked in a voice tinged with a Brooklyn accent. "You're a turncoat. That man you are defending viciously raped me. He sunk inside me so deep he almost tore my insides out. How can you stand there and be on his side when he did the same thing to you? You are a fucking bitch. Maybe you weren't really raped like I was. Maybe you enjoyed what happened to you but I certainly did not!"

Tears ran down Marty's face and Kate's too. Todd wanted to punch Kate honestly but he stayed in his chair, watching as Marty trembled in her seat. "I'm sorry, Ms. Howard, but Todd – he couldn't have done that."

"So you're calling me a liar, you cunt?" Kate demanded. Her Brooklyn accent was so pronounced now it was like she was a completely different person all of a sudden. She was swinging her fists threatening to beat the shit out of Marty. Two officers had to restrain her and force her back into her seat. Still she kept crying and Marty did too. Todd hurt – yes, he hurt – for Marty having to endure such public humiliation once again because of him. He realized then that there was no way he was going to let that shark Baldwin take Marty down with him, shred her to pieces because of Todd. She had suffered way too much because of him already.

Todd suddenly hurtled to his feet. "Leave Marty alone!" he demanded. "Leave her out of this for fuck's sake. You all came here to see me convicted. You all believe I'm guilty right? Well guess what? I am. I am guilty as sin. I raped Kate that night. I raped her viciously just like I did Marty."

Alexis looked ready to smack him and Sonny ready to shoot him if he hadn't already been relieved of his gun at the door. The courtroom was in chaos as Todd's shocking confession dawned on everyone. But there was only one person he cared about right now. That was Marty and she was looking at him with an expression of deep hurt. But she didn't look angry, she didn't look accusatory. She just looked sad.

XoXoXo

Alexis asked for a twenty minute recess although Todd said he didn't need one. "I'm guilty dammit! I admitted it to everyone in open court. Why don't you just lock me up and throw away the damn key?"

But Alexis insisted on conferring with her client and she won because the judge respected her and wanted thorough answers too. Todd was cuffed to the table and everyone left him alone with Alexis. She looked ready to spit nails at him. "You bastard," she hissed. "You destroyed everything we were working so hard for. How could you?"

"It doesn't matter," he said petulantly. "I'm guilty. I lied to you. If you're worried that I won't pay you, don't. I'm good for it. I suppose you can't take the word of a rapist but –"

Alexis shook her head and glared at him, silencing him with a cutting look. "Oh I know that you're a rapist. We all know that."

"See?"

"_But _I don't believe you did what Kate has accused you of. I wasn't sure before but I am now. You're a lot of things and far from innocent in many ways, but this time you didn't do what everyone is saying you did. Did you?"

"Alexis –"

"Did you?" 

"It doesn't matter! I am going to prison where I belong."

"You didn't do this so why are you willing to go down for a crime you didn't commit?"

"For me," a familiar soft voice piped up from the back of the court room. "Todd's doing this for me. He wants to save me from any more humiliation." 

Todd was in awe as Marty walked over to them. He couldn't speak for a moment. He stared at her. There were just no words. Marty smirked for a brief moment. "You're speechless. That's a new thing. Maybe you really have changed."

"Marty," he choked out.

"Todd, even if you have changed I believe it's for the better. I don't believe you raped Kate. I think someone did but it wasn't you."

"Marty, it doesn't matter. Everyone thinks I'm guilty," Todd said, finally finding his voice.

"So? You have to prove otherwise. You can't go to prison for something you didn't do this time. I believe – I believe in you," she said softly.

Todd's heart hammered and once again he was out of words but this time from breathlessness. Marty smiled thinly as a tear dripped down her face. "Todd, I knew exactly what I was opening myself up for today and I did it because I believe in you and I believe you're not that person from the night of the Spring Fling anymore. Let me back up on that stand and –"

"No way!" Todd hissed. "You're not going back there."

"I have to!"

"No!" Todd shook his head. He looked at Alexis. "Don't let her go up there. I don't want that. You're my lawyer. Don't you for once have to do what I say?" 

Alexis looked at Marty, rather than him. "You said you thought Kate was raped. Why is that?"

"Everything about the way she reacted … it was genuine, Ms. Davis."

"Alexis."

"Alexis," Marty amended. "I think Kate was no doubt raped but that she pointed her finger at the wrong man because he was the most obvious target. Todd might have done something completely innocent that night that she misinterpreted somehow."

"Well, I did accidentally bump into her that night. The papers in her hands fell to the floor," Todd recalled. "And she looked shaken but I told her to get back to work and she did. I don't know what happened after I left. She stayed later than me. I went home to check in on Peanut before she went to sleep."

"Peanut?" Marty said. "Hope…"

"Yes, Marty, our granddaughter. Probably the best thing either of us ever did. She's amazing."

"I know…" Marty sighed. She looked at Alexis. "There's got to be some way you can prove that Kate was mistaken."

"Without putting Marty back on the stand!" Todd said.

"It won't be easy after what you pulled today, Todd, but I can try. It means pulling Kate back onto the stand though, forcing her to dredge up really awful memories…"

Todd looked at Marty. Marty touched Alexis's arm. "There is never going to be anyone more sympathetic than me to Kate's plight, but this has to happen, Alexis. She needs answers and the real rapist needs to be found and prosecuted. It's going to hurt her like hell - believe me I know - but it's also the only way she can ever find peace, by putting away the real monster that did this."

"It could backfire," Alexis said.

Marty nodded. "I know but it's the only hope Todd has not to go to prison for a really long time. You have to try." Marty looked at Todd. "And you need to keep your mouth shut and not do anything reactionary while Kate's up there. This will be the single most horrible moment of her life – in some ways much worse than the rape itself – and we can't make it worse for her. But it's not right to send Todd to prison for something that he didn't do."

"Why don't you want to punish me Marty? Why are you helping me? Don't you want me to burn in hell for all the shit I put you through?"

Marty shook her head. "I think you've suffered enough. Now you just have to find a way to forgive yourself." She then turned and walked out of the courtroom.

XoXoXo

Everyone returned to the court right on schedule. Scott Baldwin threw up his hands in exasperation. "Manning pleaded guilty already, your honor. It's time for him to be locked up and for all of us to go home."

Alexis shot Scott a dirty look and then turned to address the judge. "Your Honor, I know this is atypical in every way but I must ask – no, I must insist – that the accuser Kate Howard returns to the stand."

"So Manning can try to weasel his way out of this? I don't think so," Scott spat at Alexis.

She gritted her teeth. "I just think there are some loose ends to tie up before we can lock Mr. Manning up and throw away the key. Please let me call Ms. Howard back to the stand."

Kate was shifting nervously in her seat, clutching Sonny's hand from where he sat behind her in the gallery. She said nothing though, almost like she had expected this. She looked bewildered but not entirely surprised. She had known somehow that she couldn't just walk away from this and that being on that stand again would tear her apart in new ways.

"Your honor!" Scott returned. "This is an outrage. Why are we going to rehash everything? The accused has admitted his guilt. It's time to go home now."

Alexis looked at Scott. She was unable to resist a retort. "I know its football season, Mr. Baldwin, but surely the game can wait a few more minutes."

Scott shot her daggers with his little beady eyes but before he could protest or say some shit back, the judge intervened.

"Although this is highly unusual, I do believe personally that we owe it to the taxpayers of our good town to hear for a fact once again what happened on that night."

"We already know!" Scott practically screamed.

"Sit down, Mr. Baldwin." The judge looked at Kate sympathetically. "I'm sorry to subject you to this again, Ms. Howard, but please return to the bench. Remember you aren't on trial here."

"It sure feels like I am," Kate spat. Sonny squeezed her hand, shooting Todd death rays with his eyes. Todd looked behind him at Marty and she offered him a brief smile. Todd sighed and turned away to stare at Kate. If this didn't work, he was going away and he didn't want to go back to prison though he would do it all over again to save Marty any further suffering.

Kate stood up, smoothing down her leopard print skirt. Alexis noted that Kate wasn't dressed or acting like herself lately. She was like someone else completely.

Kate took the stand and was sworn in again. She sat down and the bailiff moved aside. Alexis slowly approached Kate the way she would a wounded lion. She was wary of its ferocity but also cared that it be saved anymore hurt. She had always liked Kate too and didn't want to upset her. But she wanted to win this case and free a man who was this time, innocent in her mind.

"Ms. Howard, I am sorry you have to go through all of this again."

"Oh I just bet you are," Kate snipped at Alexis.

Alexis sighed. "We're going to go back to the night in question. I want you to walk us through it in as vivid detail as you can. If at any point you need to take a breather, let us know."

Kate glared at Alexis but nodded. "Alright the night in question. You and Mr. Manning are at the office. What time is it?"

"Uh, it was late. Close to nine p.m."

"Mr. Manning, in his sworn statement to the police, said that he was at his house by then, after tucking in his granddaughter. Starr, his daughter, even says that he was home by eight-fifteen."

Kate sniffed. "She's lying."

"Are you sure?"

Kate trembled a bit. "Of course. I know when I was raped because I was looking at the clock a bit before it happened. He walked into the office so cocky-like and he had a sick lustful look in his eyes. I was scared right away."

"So Mr. Manning was outside the office doing what exactly?"

"I don't know. Probably sending home the witnesses."

"That's conjecture, but okay. We do know that the staff was gone when the alleged rape happened."

"'Alleged'," Kate sniffed. "You don't fucking have a clue what I went through, lady." Her Brooklyn accent was back in full-force. "You don't know the horror, the degradation, the fear, the pain! Fuck you! You're goin' to hell for this."

"Ms. Howard, please answer the questions without cursing at Ms. Davis," the judge said.

Alexis held up a hand. "I'm fine. It's Ms. Howard who has to relive a horrible night in gruesome detail." She looked at Kate. "We have to continue. I'm sorry."

Kate didn't reply. Alexis pressed on. "Alright, Ms. Howard, you say that it was almost nine p.m. when my client walked into the office and scared you. What were you doing at the time?"

"Going over ad copy. That's a big part of my job at The PC Sun. Or was. I wasn't just a reporter but a sort of errand girl and jack of all trades. He paid me good but man; he made me pay for it back. That sonuvabitch made me pay big time!"

Todd glanced at Marty. She was sitting ramrod straight in her chair. The color had drained from her face and he knew instinctively that she was scared of what was coming next. He tried to catch her eye but she stared straight ahead at something he couldn't see. He turned back to face Kate with a sigh on his lips.

"He raped me," Kate murmured. "He walked in the room. His eyes – the look in his eyes – it creeped me the hell out. It was just like before."

Alexis looked at Kate curiously. "Before… before what?"

"I don't know… You have me all tangled up and confused. Fuck it. I don't wanna do this."

"You have to. I'm sorry," Alexis said. She did feel genuine remorse for pushing this obviously fragile woman so far. "Just let's finish. What happened next?"

"He said 'Connie, I've been looking all over for you. You haven't told Sonny about us have you?'" Kate's eyes were closed. Chatter spread throughout the room.

Alexis watched Kate. "What did your attacker mean by not telling Mr. Corinthos about the two of you?"

Kate didn't answer that. She was lost in her own memories now. "I told him. I told him that no one calls me Connie anymore. He would know. He had me change my name."

Alexis felt she was about to blow this case wide open. She just had to keep pressing.

A tear squeezed out of Kate's left eye, trickling down her face. "He made me Kate, that's what he was telling me. He transformed me, you know. I was just Connie from the Block when he found me – or plucked me out of obscurity as he called it. He started inching around the desk then. I was scared. I knew what he wanted – what he always wanted. He's been wanting it since we met. Since I was just eighteen and we met."

Todd stared at Kate. She was insane! He'd only met her eight months ago when he'd moved to Port Charles to be near Starr and little Hope. Things had gone bad with Blair again and he needed a new start. He knew now maybe he would never get one. His past would always follow him wherever he went.

"Okay…" Alexis said. She knew Todd hadn't known Kate that long either. "What happened next?"

"I wanted to grab the phone; you know call for help. But he saw me moving for it and he snatched it out of my hand, yanked the cord right outta the wall. He said I shouldn't be afraid; that he came back to town for me. He adored me. He said he could never stop thinking about me, not for a second. He said he wanted to taste me, every inch of me, one more time. 'Just one time. You owe me. I made you what you are. You're in the big-time now because of me and everything I did for you. Come over here,' he said, 'let me hold you. For old times' sake'."

The court room had fallen into a hush. Alexis sighed softly. "What happened next?" 

"Well I said I couldn't, of course. You know, because I'm back with Sonny and we're so happy now. And he said Sonny was a big loser. He said Sonny never gave me anything but heartache. I said that's not true. Sonny saved me so many times; he loved me more than anyone ever has. He said that wasn't true. He loved me more than anyone. How could I forget that? He started going on about how we met and how he gave me everything and I was his everything too. How he dropped my fashion career right in my lap because he loved me. He kept saying I owed him; I owed him so much. I was so scared of what he was going to do. He was just talking and talking about our past in New York City, how he introduced me to all the fashion greats. How he got me a job interning with _The_ Donatella and how he helped me reinvent myself. He even told me how he helped me choose my new identity, my new 'brand' as Kate Howard. I saw an opening to run while he was talking. I started to anyway. I was out the door halfway when he suddenly dragged me backwards by my hair. He told me I couldn't run. I'm his property and it was time to pay up."

Tears were running down Kate's face now but her eyes were still closed. She was in that office again the night someone had viciously raped her. And it wasn't Todd, Alexis knew that. She was sure almost everyone did by now but they still needed to get to the truth.

"Kate, please continue. I know this is hard. Once he grabbed your hair, what happened?"

Kate's hands came to rest on either side of her face. "He grabbed me by the face and he kissed me. Really hard. I was screaming 'no, don't please, no! Sonny – he loves me. I love him. I can't do this. I won't.' I try to kick him but he's too strong. Finally he wrestles me to the desk; he pins me down and –" Her breath caught. "Oh fuck, he's got me pinned. I'm trapped. I am screaming and hollering and no one's coming for me. No one will help me. I'm going to be raped!" 

Todd swung around in his chair to look at Marty. Her eyes were closed too and he knew she was remembering the night he violated her with the help of his so-called friends at the KAD house. Tears were running down her face. He wanted to call off the whole thing but knew she wouldn't let him. He wanted to call to her and was about to but she opened her eyes and looked at him. "I'm fine," she mouthed. "Don't stop this." He kept staring at her as Kate went on with her long, drawn out story.

"I was his kept woman before, sure, but that was a long time ago," Kate said. "I can't do this. I won't. But he's grabbing my clothes then, grabbing them and yanking them right off of me. Tearing them to shreds really. My red panties come off last. He undoes his pants really quick as I am lying on the desk writhing and crying. He is holding me down by my neck and then his penis is free and he's jamming it in me. Jamming it so hard I am crying from the agony. I feel myself bleeding. He pinches anything he can on my body and he asks me again and again if I like it. Do I like it? Do I remember how good it used to be between us? I spit in his face. He punishes me by driving in so much harder. I am being ripped to shreds. I can feel it."

There was utter silence in the gallery. Even Scott looked affected by the testimony. Alexis's eyes burned. She felt like crying for Kate. She honestly did. She hated to go on but she had to. "And then what happened, Kate?"

"He pulled out. He said I was good as I always was. He wipes his cum in my hair and then he zips up his pants. As he's leaving he says if I tell anyone, he'll kill me. He'll take me somewhere and fuck me senseless and then slit my throat. And then he leaves. I don't know what to do. I want to call the police. I want to call Sonny most of all. But I can't. It feels like I brought this on myself. So I just put my torn clothes on and cover up with my coat and then I clean up the room and I'm crying but I go home and I won't talk to Sonny for a few days though he keeps trying to get a hold of me. He's worried about me. He can be so sweet but I can't face him right now. I feel too guilty. I hide the truth cause I'm scared, so scared. I swore he broke me once and he could never do it again but he did. Oh he did!"

Alexis crossed her arms and approached the bench. In a soft voice, she asked Kate to open her eyes. "Open your eyes slowly, Ms. Howard, and then when you do, I want you to point to the man who did all those horrible nasty things to you. I want to make sure he pays, that he can never, ever hurt you again. Can you do that?"

Kate nodded and slowly peeled open her eyes. She looked around, zeroed her eyes in on everyone. Todd held his breath. Tears ran down Kate's face. "He's not here," she cried. "He's not here! Trevor Lansing - that fucking bastard! He did this to me and he knew he did and he ran off like a coward."

Chaos erupted in the courtroom then and Kate ran from the bench into Sonny's arms, sobbing hysterically, screaming she was sorry, so fucking sorry!

XoXoXo

Court was adjourned within the hour and Todd was a free man though he didn't feel so free. Everything that had gone on today had shaken him up and no doubt Marty too. He found her sitting in the corridor on a lonely bench and he moved over to her. "May I?" he asked, gesturing to the seat beside her. She nodded. He looked at her, his voice soft. "I don't know what to say. I should be happy I'm free and yet … Well, I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Well Kate is hurting, Todd. You'd have to be a cold, soulless beast – or Trevor Lansing, whoever he is – not to feel her pain."

"Do you think I'm a beast?"

Marty looked up at Todd, tears shining in her eyes. "Honestly, I used to. But not anymore. You're just human. You're remorseful for what you did to me. I don't think that Trevor ever will be."

Across the courtroom Alexis was giving a statement to the newshounds and gossip mongers on TV. Her man Julian was standing right beside her, hand wrapped protectively around her waist. Alexis seemed to sag a bit against him. The day had taken a toll on her too. It had everyone in attendance.

Julian finally shouted to the paps that enough was enough. "No more pestering Ms. Davis." They tried to run for Marty and Todd next but Todd gestured to a room off the corridor and Marty and he escaped into it. They were in close quarters in the small room - so close he could hug her. And he wanted to but it was not his place. Maybe one day, maybe someday soon.

The door opened and Alexis and Julian came in. Todd smirked at her. "I could hug you so tight for saving my ass that way." Julian and even Marty glared at him. He held up a hand in his defense. "I said I could. Not that I would. Instead I'll pay you everything I owe you, times five."

Alexis leaned against her boyfriend. "I don't want to talk about money right now. I just want to get the hell out of here; hug my daughters and my grandson; thank God they are okay. Then I want to take a long bath and go to sleep. I'm exhausted," Alexis said. "In case you didn't guess."

Julian rubbed her shoulders. "Understandable. I saw what you did. It was amazing. You got justice today."

"Kate's broken…"

"She'll heal. She'll heal somehow," Marty said, stepping forward. "I am going to stay in town and help her as much as I can - if she'll let me."

Todd looked at Marty. His breath caught in his throat again. "You're sticking around?"

Marty nodded, looking into his eyes. "As long as I'm needed."

Todd smiled a little. She was needed. He needed her. So much.

Marty looked at Alexis. "What happens next?"

"The state will try to build a case against Trevor. It won't be easy but Scott seems committed. Truly, I think he was as affected by what Kate said as everyone else in there. And if Sonny doesn't kill Trevor first, he will stand trial. I think we'll all figure out a way to make it stick."

"I could kill himself myself," Todd said. "He let me take the blame for this mess!"

"Please don't," Alexis said. "I never want to have to defend you again. No matter what you pay me, it isn't worth it." She smiled as Todd grimaced. "I am glad I could help you this one time. Just try to stay out of trouble for a minute or two."

Alexis looked at Marty. "You were so brave today. Thank you."

Marty nodded. Alexis looked at Julian. "Can we go and wash the courtroom grime off me now?"

Julian nodded and grasped her hand, and together they walked out of the room.

Todd looked at Marty. She stared back. "You have every right to say hell no right now, but would you – woud you be interested in coming with me to see Little Peanut?"

"I'd actually love that," Marty said. "I haven't seen her in almost a year. It's been way too long!"

Todd nodded. "Marty?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For everything you did today and for … seeing something in me what no one else does – something worth saving."

"You're welcome, Todd," Marty said.

Then they walked out of the room, together. There was suddenly a feeling in the air – a promise even – of better days to come…

THE END


End file.
